What This Rule Detects
Detects when Google Display & Video 360's auto-tagging parameter (dclid) appears alongside manual UTM parameters on the same URL. While not harmful, the manual UTMs are unnecessary because GA4 uses dclid for attribution and ignores the UTMs.
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The Good News:
- ✅ No duplicate sessions - GA4 does NOT create two sessions
- ✅ No data loss - GA4 correctly uses dclid for attribution
- ✅ No inflated metrics - Session counts are accurate
The Issue:
- Unnecessary maintenance burden - You're manually adding parameters GA4 doesn't use
- URL clutter - Longer URLs with redundant information
- Confusion - Mixed tracking signals that serve no purpose
Technical Reality: When dclid is present, GA4's auto-tagging takes complete precedence. Your manual UTM parameters are completely ignored for attribution. GA4 derives source, medium, and campaign directly from the dclid value.
Real Example:
URL: yoursite.com?dclid=abc123&utm_source=google&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=summer
GA4 Attribution: Uses dclid → source: google, medium: display (from dclid, NOT from UTMs)
UTM Parameters: Ignored entirely
Common Scenarios
Scenario 1: DV360 Campaign Manager Template URLs
Campaign Manager templates include both dclid and UTMs:
Scenario 2: Display Campaigns with Manual Tracking
Adding manual UTMs to Display campaigns:
How to Fix
Option A: Remove Manual UTMs (Recommended)
Step 1: Remove UTM Parameters from Display Campaigns
- Open Google Display & Video 360 Campaign Manager
- Go to your campaign URL templates
- Remove
utm_source,utm_medium,utm_campaignparameters - Keep dclid auto-tagging enabled
- Save changes
Step 2: Verify GA4 Attribution
- Traffic will still appear correctly in GA4
- Source/medium/campaign derived from dclid
- No data loss
Benefits:
- Cleaner URLs
- Less maintenance
- No confusion about which parameters matter
Option B: Keep Both (Acceptable)
If you have other tools that require UTM parameters (non-GA4 analytics, marketing automation), you can keep both:
- Keep dclid enabled (required for GA4)
- Keep manual UTM parameters (for other tools)
- Understand that GA4 uses dclid and ignores UTMs
- No negative impact on GA4 data quality
Examples
Wrong ❌
There's no "wrong" configuration here - just unnecessary complexity:
https://shop.com/products?dclid=abc123&utm_source=google&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=retargeting&utm_content=banner_300x250
Issue: Manual UTMs add 85 characters GA4 doesn't use
Correct ✅
Cleaner implementation using dclid only:
https://shop.com/products?dclid=abc123
GA4 Result:
- Source: google
- Medium: display
- Campaign: (derived from dclid)
- All attribution data intact
GA4 Impact Analysis
How GA4 Processes dclid:
- dclid Detected → GA4 recognizes Google DV360 auto-tagging
- Manual UTMs Ignored → GA4 disregards utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign
- Attribution from dclid → Source/medium derived from dclid value
- No Duplication → Single session record created
Channel Grouping:
- Correctly classified as "Display" or "Paid Display"
- No channel grouping issues
- Attribution reports accurate
Session Counting:
- ✅ One session per click (not two)
- ✅ Accurate user counts
- ✅ Reliable conversion attribution
Detection in UTMGuard
UTMGuard identifies this as an info-level issue (not critical) because:
- Scans pageLocation dimension for dclid parameter
- Checks for manual UTM parameters in same URL
- Flags as "redundant" when both present
- Does NOT flag as error (data is correct)
- Provides cleanup recommendation
Severity: INFO - Optional cleanup, no urgency
FAQ
Does dclid + UTMs break GA4 tracking?
No. GA4 uses dclid and ignores the UTMs. Your tracking works correctly - the UTMs are just unnecessary.
Will removing UTMs lose campaign data?
No. All campaign attribution data comes from dclid. Removing manual UTMs has zero impact on GA4 reporting.
Can I keep both dclid and UTMs?
Yes, if other tools need the UTMs. GA4 will ignore the UTMs and use dclid, which is fine.
Does this cause duplicate sessions like the old Universal Analytics?
No. GA4 does NOT create duplicate sessions. This was an issue in Universal Analytics, but GA4 fixed it. Only one session is created.
What if I'm using utm_content or utm_term?
These secondary parameters (content, term) ARE captured by GA4 even when dclid is present. They appear in "Manual Ad Content" and "Manual Term" dimensions.
Should I disable auto-tagging?
No! Keep dclid auto-tagging enabled. It's the primary attribution method for Display & Video 360 in GA4.
External Resources
dclid_redundant_utms